This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/079,634, filed July 30, 1987, now abandoned.

Scanning electron microscopes and generally instruments employing an electron beam (probe) operate in vacuum (pressure less than about 0.0001 mbar) and the specimens examined by such instruments are also placed in vacuum. Scanning a sample within a vacuum presents many problems. Many biological specimens cannot survive in vacuum. Wet specimens can experience evaporation of their fluid content before an accurate image can be obtained. Nonconducting samples can accumulate a surface charge which obscures the details of the sample's surface and lowers the resolution of the image obtained.

An environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) which allows the examination of specimens in a gaseous environment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,928. The purpose of the gas in the '928 patent was to act as a conditioning medium in order to maintain a specimen in a liquid, set or natural state. However, the predominant detection mode in the ESEM has utilized various scintillator detectors to detect backscattered electrons. Additionally, an ESEM detection system has been described wherein the ionization of the gaseous environment is used as the detection means for all ionizing signals (Danilatos, Micron. Microsc. Acta 14:307-318, 1983).

An object of the present invention is to provide a more general and multipurpose means for environmental scanning electron microscopy.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide means for the detection in general of all signals which can react with a gas or mixture of gases inside an environmental electron microscope such that the gas itself acts as a detector.

The present invention provides a scanning electron microscope for cathodeluminescence detection of specimens which comprises a vacuum envelope having a pressure limiting aperture. An electron beam source is located within the vacuum envelope and is capable of emitting an electron beam. Focusing means are located within the vacuum envelope and are capable of directing an electron beam emitted by the electron beam source through the pressure limiting aperture. Electron beam scanning means are also located within the vacuum envelope and are capable of scanning an electron beam emitted by the electron beam source across the diameter of the pressure limiting aperture. A sample platform means is disposed outside the vacuum envelope and is capable of maintaining a sample in registration with the pressure limiting aperture such that a surface of the sample may be exposed to an electron beam emitted from the electron beam source and directed through the pressure limiting aperture so as to cause radiation to be emitted from the sample. The scanning electron microscope of the present invention further comprises gas containment means capable of maintaining the sample platform means enveloped in a gaseous medium so as to allow radiation emitted from a sample located on the sample platform means and exposed to an electron beam emitted from the electron beam source to come into contact with gas molecules of the gaseous medium and cause the gas molecules to emit photons. Detection means are provided which are capable of detecting photons emitted from the gas molecules of the gaseous medium.

The present invention also provides a method for microscopically imaging the surface of a sample which comprises surrounding the sample with gas molecules and scanning the surface of the sample with an electron beam having sufficient energy so as to cause radiation to be emitted from the surface of the sample. Photons which are emitted from the gas molecules which come into contact with radiation emitted from the surface of the sample are then detected, the photons being emitted from the gas molecules in an amount proportional to the amount of radiation emitted from the surface of the sample. Images of the sample are then formed based on the number of photons detected.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a device which embodies the present invention in a particular form.

The present invention provides a scanning electron microscope. Referring in more particularity to FIG. 1, the invention comprises a vacuum envelope 1 having a pressure limiting aperture 2. An electron beam source 3 is located within the vacuum envelope and is capable of emitting an electron beam. Focusing means 4 are located within the vacuum envelope and are capable of directing an electron beam emitted by the electron beam source through the pressure limiting aperture. Electron beam scanning means 5 are also located within the vacuum envelope and are capable of scanning an electron beam emitted by the electron beam source across the diameter of the pressure limiting aperture. A sample platform means 6 is disposed outside the vacuum envelope and is capable of maintaining a sample in registration with the pressure limiting aperture such that a surface of the sample may be exposed to an electron beam emitted from the electron beam source and directed through the pressure limiting aperture so as to cause radiation to be emitted from the sample. Within this application, "radiation" emitted from a sample means electrons or photons emitted from the sample.

The scanning electron microscope of the present invention further comprises a gas containment means 7 capable of maintaining the sample platform means enveloped in a gaseous medium so as to allow radiation emitted from a sample located on the sample platform means and exposed to an electron beam emitted from the electron beam source to come into contact with gas molecules of the gaseous medium and cause the gas molecules to emit photons. Detection means 8 are provided which are capable of detecting photons emitted from the gas molecules of the gaseous medium.

In one embodiment of the invention, the wavelength of the photons is within the range from about 1 meters. Preferably within this embodiment of the invention the detection means is a scintillation counter or a lithium drifted silicon detector.

In another embodiment of the invention, the wavelength of the photons is within the range from about 4 7 invention the detection means is a photomultiplier tube or a photodiode.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the wavelength of the photons is within the range from about 7 2 invention the detection means is a photomultiplier tube or a photodiode.

The gaseous medium may comprise a single gas or a mixture of gases. In one embodiment of the invention the gaseous medium comprises nitrogen. In another embodiment of the invention the gaseous medium comprises helium.

The present invention also provides a method for microscopically imaging the surface of a sample which comprises surrounding the sample with gas molecules and scanning the surface of the sample with an electron beam having sufficient energy so as to cause radiation to be emitted from the surface of the sample. Photons which are emitted from gas molecules which come into contact with radiation emitted from the surface of the sample are then detected, the photons being emitted from the gas in an amount proportional to the amount of radiation emitted from the surface of the sample. Images of the sample are then formed based on the number of photons detected.

In one embodiment of the invention, the wavelength of the photons is within the range from about 1 meters. Preferably within this embodiment of the invention the detection means is a scintillation counter or a lithium drifted silicon detector.

In another embodiment of the invention, the wavelength of the photons is within the range from about 4 7 invention the detection means is a photomultiplier tube or a photodiode.

In yet a further embodiment of the invention, the wavelength of the photons is within the range from about 7 2 invention the detection means is a photomultiplier tube or a photodiode.

The gaseous medium may comprise a single gas or a mixture of gases. In one embodiment of the invention, the gaseous medium comprises nitrogen. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the gaseous medium comprises helium.

The gas utilized in the present invention is the primary medium, or the first and basic stage in the detention chain of the environmental scanning electron microscope. Additionally, the electron beam-specimen interactions generate signals which, in turn, react with the gas. The signal-gas interactions constitute the basis for the detection of signals. Some examples of signal-gas interactions are: gaseous scintillation, ionization, chemical combination, chemical disassociation, electron attachment, photo-ionization, X-ray reactions, rotational and vibrational collisions, collisions characterized by a particular energy loss, etc.

This multi-purpose gaseous detector device has many advantages over conventional detectors which can operate only in a vacuum. The present invention provides for the use of the gaseous environment of the specimen chamber of the environmental scanning electron microscope as a multi-purpose detector for the detection of high and low energy electrons, for the detection of photons, including X-rays and detection of other products from chemical reactions. The present device allows for the examination of specimens in air. It generates new information on specimens in air not possible in the previous art of detection. It is more general and multi-purpose than previously known in the art of environmental scanning electron microscopes and atmospheric scanning electron microscopes.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with various preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which is determined by reference to the appended claims.